Press-plate



A. w. FRNCH..

PRESS PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I6, 1918.

1,355,136, Patented Oct. 12, 1920.v

` A /0-@ o o o o o o o@` 9 0 e a n a u o o o o o o e Q\) 0.o

n e a o o a o e o UNITED STATES ALFRED W. FRENCH, OF PIQUA, OHIO.

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Specification of Letters Patent.r

Patented oct. 12, 1920.

.Application filed September 16, 195.8. Serial No. 254,242.

l/lo all whom t may concern Be it known that l, ALFRED lV. FRENCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Piqua, in the county of Miami Vand State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful lmprovement in FressFlates, of which theY following is a specification.

This invention relates to press plates more particularly intended for use in oil expressingA presses of the so-called cage press type in which cakes or charges of meal separated by pi'ess plates and cloths'are subjected to pressure in an open-ended press cage having orifices in its side walls for the escape of the expressed oil.

The objects of the invention are to provide a practica-l and desirable press plate, especially suitable for cage presses, which is of simple, inexpensive and durable construction, and which will insure ready and completel drainage through the plate for the escape of oil from the material in the cage to the edges of the press plates or to the side Walls of the cage; also to construct the press plates so that while they can be produced from sheet metal at a moderate price, neverthelessrthe platesr will not be deformed or their drainage channels constricted by the pressure to whichtlie plates are Ysubjected in use.

ln the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a press plate embodying the invention, a portion of one of the component plates being broken away to show the underlying parts. Y

Fig. 2 is a similarview showing a portion of the plate substantially full size.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan View thereof.

Figs. l and 5 are Vsections thereof on lines fl-el and 5 5, respectively, Fig. 2.

The press plate is vcomposed of two pieces of sheet metal or thin metal plates A and B arranged face to face Orione flat upon the other, and preferably, though not necessarily, secured rigidly together in some suitable way, as for instance by rivets 1Q at the corners of the plates. The two plates thus connected can be easily separated if necessary, for cleaning out their holes and channels, hereinafter described, orfor any other reason by cutting the rivets, and the plates can be again riveted together 'with little labor and expense.V The press plates can be either rectangular, as shown, or of any suitable shape and size, depending upon the presses or cages with which they are tobe used.

One of the pla-tes, fl, is provided at suitable intervals with bends or corrugations which form spaced hollow projecting ribs 11 on one side of the plate, and grooves or channels l2 which, when the two plates are placed or secured together face to face, form oil drainage or flow channels between the plates. The other plate B is preferably flat or has opposite plain ilat surfaces and is provided with .small holes or perforations 13 through it. These holes, which may be cylindrical or of any other suitable form, are preferably disposed in rows opposite or in line'with the drainage channels 12 so that the oil or liquid expressed from the material in the press between the press plates can readily escape through the holes 18 into the drainage channels and flow through these Y channels to the edges of the press plate or to the Iside walls of the press cage. The

plate A is preferably imperforate. The top surface 14 of the press plate is preferably polished so that the press cloths will not stick to the plates, and the bottom surface 15 of the plate is likewise preferably polished to prevent the meal from adheringv i thereto. This materially facilitates the removal of the press cloths and plates from the press, because in unloading the press the cakes, cloths and plates are' removed one at a time as they are shoved out of the upper end of the cage by the ascent of thev press ram, and when a cake has been removed the underlying `cloth, can be easily shoved or slid horizontally ofi' of the smooth polished top surface of the press plate beneath it without having to forcibly strip or pull off the cloth as is usually necessary, and after the cloth has been thus removed the press plate can be easily lifted olf of the next cake since y the polished under surface of the plate will not adhere to the underlying cake. VNo press cloths are necessarybetween the upper surfaces of the cakes and the undersides of the press plates constructed as described.

-16 represents wires or rods extending lengthwise in the drainage channels 12 be tween the plates Aand B. These wires act as platespacing or supporting members which prevent the flattening out of the ribs 11 and the crushing in of the plate B over the drainage channels so as to constrict the drainage channels and interfere with the free drainage of the oil through the same.

While, therefore, vrelatively thin metal lplates or sheets A and B can be employed in making the press' plates, there is no danger o1 the press plates being crushed and the The wires 16 are preferably secured in place by bending up the ends thereof and riveting these bent ends in holes in the plate B,

asV indicated at 17, Fig. 5. The spacing wires 16 will not close the drainage holes Y 13 in the plate B enough to interfere with a free escape of oil through the holes, even if the'holes are located directly above the wires, but the holes can be, if desired, arranged at one side of the wires, so as not to be obstructed at all by the wires.

I'clairn as my invention:

1. A press plate comprising two rthin metal plates arranged face to face, one ot said plates having spaced corrugations forming hollow projecting ribs on the outer side of said plate and drainage channels on the inner side oi' the plate and said other plate being flat and having holes through which liquid can escape to said `drainage channels.

2. A press plate -comprising sheet metal plates arranged face to face, oneV ot said plates having transverse bends therein forming hollow ribs which project from the outer side ot said plate and provide drainage channels between the two plates, andV said other plate having a substantially flat,

`smooth outer tace and havin(y holes through whichthe liquid can escape to said drainage channels.

3. A' press plate comprising two thin metal plates arranged i'face to face, one or" said plates having bends forming hollow imperforate projecting ribs on one side of said plate and drainage channels between the two plates, and said other plate having holes through which liquid can escape to said drainage channels. Y Y Y 4. A' press plate comprising two sheet Vmetal plates arranged tace to face, one of I said plates havingV bends forming hollow impertorate projecting ribs on the outer .said plates Vhaving spaced corrugations forming hollow'projecting ribs on one side of said platev and drainage channels between the two plates, and one of said Vplates having holes through which liquid can escape toY said drainage channels, and plate-spac- Y ing members located between said plates in said channels -tor preventing constriction of the channels.

Y6. A press plate comprising two plates arranged tace to vface and having drainage channels formed between the plates, one ot said platesv having holes through which liquid can escape to Ysaid drainage channels, and plate-spacing members located between said plates in said channels -lior preventing constriction of said channels. Y

y 7 A press plate comprising two plates ar ranged ace to face and having drainage channels formed between the plates, vone of said plates having holes through which liquid can escape to said drainage channels, and wires extending lengthwise in said channels for preventing constriction of said I channels. j j

.8. A press plate comprising two plates arranged face to face and having drainage channels formed between the plates, one of said plates having holes through which liquid can escape to said drainage channels, wires extending lengthwise in said channels, and means for securing said wires.

9. A'press plate comprising two plates arranged face to face, one of said plates having bends forming hollow projecting ribs on one side of vsaid plate and drainage channels between the plates, one of said plates having holes through which liquid can escape to said Ydrainagerchannels,'and wires'extending lengthwise in said channels between said plates.

10. A press plate comprising two plates arranged face to face, one ot said (plates having bends forming hollow. projecting ribs on one side of said plate and drainage channels between the plates, and said other plate being flat and having holes through which liquid can escape to said drainage channels, and wires extending lengthwise in said channels between said plates.

,having bends forming hollow projecting ribs on one side of said plate and drainage channels between the plates, one of said plates having holes through which. liquid can escape to said drainage channels, and wires Vextending lengthwise in said-channels between said plates, said wires having bent ends secured in holes in one of said plates.

lVitne'ss my hand, thisV l0 day of September, 1918. v

j ALFRED W FRENCH.

Witnesses Y f GEORGE PU'rHorr, f GEO. W. BERRY. 

